ILOILO City – Comebacking city councilor Plaridel Nava and city councilor-elect Candice Magdalane Tupas will not get any committee chairmanship when they assume office as the next set of Sangguniang Panlungsod members.
This was confirmed by Nava himself after a courtesy visit and talks with Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon.
According to Nava, he was also expecting it and it’s not a big deal to him.
“I expected that. It’s not a big deal for me anyway. I am used to that situation,” he told Panay News.
He cited and recalled that in 2016, the administration of then mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog did not also give him and the late councilor Joshua Alim any committee.
“But still we were able to perform our duties by filing numerous legislative measures and actively participated in all deliberations,” he stressed.
He assured that with or without committee chairmanship, he will continue to do an active role as a fiscalizer who will check and balance the power of the executive.
But when asked, he would like to chair Committee on Transportation.
Meanwhile, in an interview over Bombo Radyo Iloilo, Ganzon said that they have already discussed and laid down the committee chairmanships.
Ganzon said there will be term-sharing for Committee on Education, Science & Technology and Committee on Health between neophyte councilor Dr. Urminico Baronda and councilor-elect Rudolf Ganzon.
Other incoming city councilors and their respective committee chairmanships are the following:
● Lady Julie Grace Baronda – Veterans, Retirees, Elderly and Disabled Persons;
● Atty. Sedfrey Cabaluna – Transportation, Energy and Public Utilities and Police, Fire, Penology, Public Safety, Order & Security, Dangerous Drugs & Rehabilitation;
● Ely Estante – Public Service and Environmental Protection; Markets and Slaughterhouse; and Urban Poor, Human Rights & Minority Groups;
● Atty. Romel Duron – Energy and Public Utility and Games, Amusement and Professional Sports;
● Johnny Young – Engineering, Construction, and Public Works;
● Allan Zaldivar – Cooperative and Livelihood; Social Services & Disaster Relief; and Moral Recovery;
● Atty. Rex Sarabia – Appropriations; Good Government and Public Accountability (Blue Ribbon Committee); and Information Technology & Computerization;
● Miguel Treñas – Domestic and International Relations and Urban Planning, Housing & Land Development, Zoning, Expropriation, Assessment & Land Acquisition;
● Rudolf Ganzon – Tourism, Culture and Historical Affairs; Trade, Commerce & Industry; and Crisis Management; and
● Atty. Frances Grace Parcon-Torres – Majority Floor Leader.
Tupas, meanwhile, respects the decision and said that committee chairmanships are usually decided by the majority.
The Committee on Moral Recovery was initially offered to her by Ganzon through her office but she was already officially on leave that time.
“But as always, in everything I do, I will only focus on my strengths, meaning focus on health because I am the only practicing medical doctor in the council, and women and children, because I am a woman and a mother of three, breastfeeding, working mother,” she said.
The new set of city councilors along with Mayor Jerry Treñas, Iloilo City Rep. Julienne Baronda and Uswag Ilonggo Party-list Rep Jojo Ang will have their oathtaking on Sunday, June 26, at 10 a.m. at the Plaza Libertad.
Senator-elect Miguel Zubiri will administer their oath of office./PN
